1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a panel structure of a surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent years, a plasma display panel of a surface discharge scheme AC type as an oversize and slim display for color screen has been received attention, which is becoming widely available.
FIG. 27 is a schematically front view illustrating a cell structure of a conventional surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel. FIG. 28 is a sectional view taken along the Vxe2x80x94V line of FIG. 27. FIG. 29 is a sectional view taken along the Wxe2x80x94W line of FIG. 27.
In FIGS. 27 to 29, on the backside of a front glass substrate 1 to serve as a display screen of the plasma display panel (referred as xe2x80x9cPDPxe2x80x9d hereinafter), there is sequentially provided with a plurality of row electrode pairs (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2); a dielectric layer 2 overlaying the row electrode pairs (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2); and a protective layer 3 made of MgO which overlays a backside of the dielectric layer 2.
The row electrodes Xxe2x80x2 and Yxe2x80x2 are respectively comprised of wider transparent electrodes Xaxe2x80x2 and Yaxe2x80x2 each of which is formed of a transparent conductive film made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or the like, and narrower bus electrodes Xbxe2x80x2 and Ybxe2x80x2 each of which is formed of a metal film, complementary to conductivity of the transparent electrode.
The row electrodes Xxe2x80x2 and Yxe2x80x2 are arranged opposing each other with a discharge gap gxe2x80x2 in between, and alternate in the column direction such that each row electrode pair (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) forms a display line (row) L on a matrix display screen.
A back glass substrate 4 faces the front glass substrate 1 with a discharge space Sxe2x80x2, filled with a discharge gas, in between. The back glass substrate 4 is provided with a plurality of column electrodes Dxe2x80x2 arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to the row electrode pairs Xxe2x80x2 and Yxe2x80x2; band-shaped partition walls 5 each extending between the adjacent column electrodes Dxe2x80x2 in parallel; and a phosphor layer 6 consisting of a red phosphor layer 6(R), green phosphor layer 6(G) and blue phosphor layer 6(B) which respectively overlay side faces of the partition walls 5 and the column electrodes Dxe2x80x2.
In each display line L, the partition walls 5 divides discharge space Sxe2x80x2 at each intersection of the column electrode Dxe2x80x2 and the row electrode pair (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) to defines discharge cells Cxe2x80x2 serving as unit light emitting area.
In the above surface discharge scheme AC type PDP, an image is displayed as follows:
First, through address operation, discharge (opposite discharge) is caused selectively between the row electrode pairs (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) and the column electrodes Dxe2x80x2 in the respective discharge cells Cxe2x80x2, to scatter lighted cells (the discharge cell in which wall charge is formed on the dielectric layer 2) and nonlighted cells (the discharge cell in which wall charge is not formed on the dielectric layer 2), over the panel in accordance with the image to be displayed.
After the address operation, in all the display lines L, the discharge sustain pulse is applied alternately to the row electrode pairs (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) in unison, and thus discharge (surface discharge) is produced in the lighted cells on every application of the discharge sustain pulse.
In this manner, the surface discharge in each lighted cell generates ultraviolet radiation, and thus the red phosphor layer 6(R) and/or the green phosphor layer 6(G) and/or the blue phosphor layer 6(B) each formed in the discharge cell Cxe2x80x2 are excited to emit light, resulting in forming the display image.
In the above structure of the conventional PDP, the disadvantage of inferior brightness on the screen has arisen because as each discharge cell Cxe2x80x2 is decreased in size for increasing definition of the screen, the surface area of the phosphor layer 6 decreases.
Further, another disadvantage that false discharge tends to occur arises because if a pitch of the row electrode pair (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) is decreased for responding to a demand for high definition of the screen, interference occurs between discharges of the discharge cells Cxe2x80x2 adjoining in the column direction (in the vertical direction of FIG. 27).
Hence, the applicant of the present invention suggests a new surface discharge scheme AC type PDP as illustrated in FIG. 30 to FIG. 34.
In FIG. 30 to FIG. 34, the PDP is configured such that, on a backside of a front glass substrate 10 serving as the display surface, a plurality of row electrode pairs (X, Y) are arranged in parallel to extend in the row direction (the traverse direction on FIG. 30) of the front glass substrate 10.
The row electrode X is composed of transparent electrodes Xa formed in a T-like shape of a transparent conductive film made of ITO or the like, and a bus electrode Xb which is formed of a metal film extending in the row direction of the front glass substrate 10 to connect to a proximal end of the narrowed portion of the transparent electrode Xa.
Likewise, row electrode Y is composed of a transparent electrode Ya which is formed in a T-like shape of a transparent conductive film made of ITO or the like, and a bus electrode Yb which is formed of a metal film extending in the row direction of the front glass substrate 10 to connect to a proximal end of the narrowed portion of the transparent electrode Ya.
The row electrodes X and Y are alternated in the column direction (in the vertical direction on FIG. 30) of the front glass substrate 10. The transparent electrodes Xa and Ya arranged along the respective bus electrodes Xb and Yb, extend mutually toward a mate of the paired row electrodes such that the top sides (or the distal ends) of the wide portions of the transparent electrodes Xa and Ya mutually face on the opposite sides of a discharge gap g having a predetermined width.
Each of the bus electrodes Xb and Yb is formed in a double layer structure with a black conductive layer Xbxe2x80x2 or Ybxe2x80x2 on the display surface side and a main conductive layer Xbxe2x80x3 or Ybxe2x80x3 on the back surface side.
A dielectric layer 11 is formed further on the backside of the front glass substrate 10 to overlay the row electrode pairs (X, Y). Furthermore, on the backside of the dielectric layer 11, an additional dielectric layer 11A is formed in each position which opposes the adjacent bus electrodes Xb and Yb of the respective row electrode pairs (X, Y) adjacent to each other, plus which opposes an area between the adjacent bus electrodes Xb and Yb, to protrude from the backside of the dielectric layer 11 and to extend in parallel to the bus electrodes Xb, Yb.
On the backsides of the dielectric layer 11 and the additional dielectric layers 11A, a protective layer 12 made of MgO is formed.
Next, a back glass substrate 13 is arranged in parallel to the front glass substrate 10. On the front surface of the back glass substrate 13 facing toward the display surface, column electrodes D are disposed at regularly established intervals from one another to extend at positions opposing the transparent electrodes Xa and Ya of the respective pairs of the row electrodes (X, Y), in a direction orthogonal to the row electrode pair (X, Y) (the column direction).
A white dielectric layer 14 is further formed on the face of the back glass substrate 13 on the display surface side to overlay the column electrodes D, and in turn formed thereon with a partition wall 15.
The partition wall 15 is formed in a pattern, in which parallel lines cross at right angles, by a vertical wall 15a extending in the column direction between the adjacent column electrodes D arranged in parallel to each other, and a transverse wall 15b extending in the row direction in a position opposing each additional dielectric layer 11A.
The partition wall 15 formed in such pattern defines the discharge space S between the front glass substrate 10 and the back glass substrate 13 into a chessboard-square-like pattern to form a quadrangular discharge cell C for each square opposing the paired transparent electrodes Xa and Ya of each row electrode pair (X, Y)
The partition wall 15 is formed in a two-layer structure with a black layer (a light absorption layer) 15xe2x80x2 on the display surface side and a white layer (a light reflection layer) 15xe2x80x3 on the back surface side, which is configured such that the side wall facing the discharge space S is almost white (i.e. a light reflection layer).
The surface of the vertical wall 15a of the partition wall 15 on the display surface side is not in contact with the protective layer 12 (see FIGS. 32, 33), and a clearance r is formed between the vertical wall 15a and the protective layer 12. The surface of the transverse wall 15b on the display surface side is in contact with a portion of the protective layer 12 overlaying the additional dielectric layer 11A (see FIGS. 31, 34), to shield the adjoining discharge cells in the column direction from each other.
On the five faces of a surface of the dielectric layer 14 and the side faces of the vertical walls 15a and the transverse walls 15b of the partition wall 15 facing each discharge space S, a phosphor layer 16 is formed to overlay all of them. The phosphor layers 16 are set in order of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) for the sequence of discharge space S in the row direction.
The inside of the discharge space S is filled with a discharge gas.
In the above PDP, a row electrode pair (X, Y) make up a display line (row) L on a matrix display screen.
As in the PDP illustrated in FIGS. 27 to 29, operation of displaying an image on the PDP is carried out.
Specifically, first, through address operation, the discharge is produced selectively between the row electrode pairs (X, Y) and the column electrodes D, to scatter lighted cells and nonlighted cells in all the display lines L over the panel in accordance with the image to be displayed.
After that, in all the display lines L, the discharge sustain pulses are applied alternately to the row electrode pairs (Xxe2x80x2, Yxe2x80x2) in unison. This causes surface discharge in each lighted cell.
In this manner, the surface discharge in each lighted cell generates ultraviolet radiation, and thus the red, green and blue phosphor layers 16 each formed in the discharge cell C are individually excited to emit light, resulting in forming the display screen.
The above PDP has a feature in that since the transparent electrodes Xa, Ya of the row electrode X, Y extend from the respective bus electrode Xb, Yb toward a mate of the paired row electrodes to independently shape into an island-like form in each discharge cell C, even if each discharge cell is reduced in size to increase definition of a screen, there may not be occurrence of interference between the discharges of the adjacent discharge cells in the row direction.
Further, the above PDP features as follows: the additional dielectric layer 11A is formed on the dielectric layer 11 and the protective layer 12 overlaying the additional dielectric layers 11A is in contact with the surface of the transverse wall 15b of the partition wall 15 on the display surface side, to shield the adjacent discharge cells C in the column direction from each other. This prevents occurrence of interference between discharges of the adjacent discharge cells C in the column direction.
Additionally, the surface of the vertical wall 15a of the partition wall 15 on the display surface side faces the portion of the dielectric layer 11 in which the additional dielectric layer 11A is not formed, to form the clearance r between the above surface of the vertical wall 15a on the display surface side and the protective layer 12.
Therefore, the adjacent discharge cells C in the row direction slightly communicate via the clearance r with each other, to produce the priming effect of causing the discharge such as in a chain reaction, or causing the discharge to transfer to the adjacent discharge cell. This results in stabilization of the discharge operation.
However, in the structure of the above PDP, since the protective layer 12 overlaying the additional dielectric layer 11A and transverse wall 15b are in contact with each other to completely shield the adjacent discharge cells C from each other in the column direction, the priming effect which is secured between the adjacent discharge cells C in the row direction as described above, cannot be secured in the column direction at all. This increases a discharge delay time in selecting the discharge in the address operation when the image is formed.
In order to stabilize the selection discharge, a drive pulse applied in the address operation is needed to increase in width, which results in producing a disadvantage of extending a time required for the address operation.
The present invention has been made to solve the above disadvantages in the conventional surface discharge scheme AC type plasma display panel as described above.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to allow a plasma display panel in which a partition wall defines adjacent unit light emitting areas in a column direction to secure a sufficient priming effect.
To attain the above objects, a plasma display panel according to a first invention includes a plurality of row electrode pairs extending in a row direction and arranged in a column direction to form display lines and a dielectric layer overlaying the row electrode pairs on a backside of a front substrate, and a plurality of column electrodes extending in the column direction and arranged in the row direction to constitute unit light emitting areas at respective positions corresponding to intersections of the column electrodes and the row electrode pairs in the discharge space on a face of a back substrate facing the front substrate with a discharge space in between. Such plasma display panel features in that: a partition wall is arranged between the front substrate and the back substrate, and has vertical walls extending in the column direction and the transverse walls extending in the row direction to define the discharge space into each of the unit light emitting areas in the row direction and the column direction; the transverse wall situated between the adjacent unit light emitting areas respectively in the column direction to each other, is divided by a clearance extending in parallel to the row direction; and the inside of the clearance and the inside of the discharge spaces in the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction are communicated with each other by a communicating section.
The plasma display panel according to the first invention is designed such that the partition wall having the vertical walls extending in the column direction and the transverse walls extending in the row direction defines the discharge space, formed between the front substrate and the back substrate, into the unit light emitting areas.
The transverse wall situated between the adjacent unit light emitting areas respectively in the column direction is divided by the clearance extending in parallel with the row direction. The clearance formed between the divided transverse walls communicates with the insides of the discharge spaces in the adjacent light emitting areas in the column direction through the communicating section.
In consequence, according to the first invention, even when the transverse wall of the partition wall shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas from each other in the column direction, priming particles (pilot flame) which are caused by discharge in the clearance between the divided transverse walls accompanied with the discharge caused in the unit light emitting area, diffuse through the communicating section into the unit light emitting areas adjacent to the clearance in the column direction to induce discharge. For this reason, the priming effect between the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction is secured.
To attain the aforementioned object, the plasma display panel according to a second invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that an additional portion is formed on each part of the dielectric layer opposing the transverse wall of the partition wall and the clearance to protrude from the dielectric layer toward the transverse wall to shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction in cooperation with the transverse wall, and the communicating section is formed in the additional portion.
According to the plasma display panel of the second invention, the transverse wall and the additional portion formed on the dielectric layer to protrude therefrom toward the transverse wall, shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction from each other. This prevents occurrence of false discharge between the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction.
Further, through the communicating section formed in the additional portion for making communication between the clearance between the divided transverse walls and the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction, priming particles (pilot flame) which are caused by the discharge in the clearance between the divided transverse walls, diffuse into the unit light emitting areas adjacent to the clearance in the column direction to induce discharge. For this reason, the priming effect between the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction is secured.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a third invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that the communicating section is formed in the transverse wall of the partition wall.
According to the plasma display panel of the third invention, even when the transverse wall of the partition wall shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas from each other in the column direction, through the communicating section formed in the transverse wall for making communication between the clearance between the divided transverse walls and the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction, priming particles (pilot flame) which are caused by discharge in the clearance between the divided transverse walls, diffuse into the unit light emitting areas adjacent to the clearance in the column direction to induce discharge. For this reason, the priming effect between the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction is secured.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a fourth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that at least a portion of the transverse wall of the partition wall is lower in height than that of the vertical wall to form a clearance between the transverse wall and the dielectric layer to constitute the communicating section.
According to the plasma display panel of the fourth invention, even when the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction are shield from each other, the communicating section formed in the portion where a height of the transverse wall of the partition wall is lower than that of the vertical wall, makes communication between the clearance between the divided transverse walls and the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction.
Therefore, priming particles (pilot flame) which are caused by discharge in the clearance between the divided transverse walls, diffuse into the unit light emitting areas adjacent to the clearance in the column direction to induce discharge. For this reason, the priming effect between the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction is secured.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a fifth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that a dielectric rib having a lower height than that of the partition wall is formed in part of the clearance opposing the column electrode on the back substrate.
According to the plasma display panel of the fifth invention, due to the dielectric rib formed in the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, a discharge distance between the column electrode on the back substrate side and the row electrode on the front substrate side is decreased. This facilitates occurrence of the discharge in the clearance, resulting in further enhancing the priming effect in the column direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a sixth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the fifth invention, in that the column electrode is formed on the dielectric rib.
According to the plasma display panel of the sixth invention, due to the dielectric rib formed in the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, a distance between the column electrode on the back substrate side and the row electrode on the front substrate side is decreased. This decreases the discharge distance thereby to further facilitate occurrence of the discharge in the clearance, resulting in further enhancing the priming effect in the column direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a seventh invention features, in addition to the configuration of the fifth invention, in that the dielectric rib is formed in an island-like shape for each column electrode.
According to the plasma display panel of the seventh invention, due to the island-shaped dielectric rib formed in the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, a discharge distance between the column electrode on the back substrate side and the row electrode on the front substrate side is decreased. This facilitates occurrence of the discharge in the clearance, resulting in further enhancing the priming effect in the column direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to an eighth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the fifth invention, in that the dielectric rib is formed in a band-like shape extending in the row direction.
According to the plasma display panel of the eighth invention, due to the band-shaped dielectric rib formed in the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, a discharge distance between the column electrode on the back substrate side and the row electrode on the front substrate side is decreased. This facilitates occurrence of the discharge in the clearance, resulting in further enhancing the priming effect in the column direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a ninth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that a layer is made of materials of a high coefficient of secondary electron emission, and formed in a part in the clearance opposing the column electrode on the back substrate.
According to the plasma display panel of the ninth invention, since the layer made of materials of a high coefficient of secondary electron emission is formed in the clearance between the divided transverse wall of the partition wall, occurrence of the discharge between the column electrode and the row electrode in the clearance is facilitated. This further enhance the priming effect in the column direction.
The layer made of materials of a high coefficient of secondary electron emission may be formed in an island-like shape or a band-like shape extending in the row direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a tenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that a light absorption layer is provided on a part of the front substrate opposing the clearance.
According to the plasma display panel of the tenth invention, the light absorption layer is formed on part of the front substrate opposing the clearance between the divided transverse wall of the partition wall which is a non-display line. For this reason, even when the discharge for priming is caused between the column electrode and the row electrode in the clearance, the resulting light is prevented from leaking onto the image display screen from the front substrate, resulting in elimination of a possibility that the light adversely affect the contrast on the image.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to an eleventh invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that a phosphor layer emitting ultraviolet radiation is provided on at least a part of parts of the front substrate, the back substrate, and the partition wall opposing the clearance formed between the divided transverse wall.
According to the plasma display panel of the eleventh invention, since the phosphor layer emitting ultraviolet radiation is provided in the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, through excitation by vacuum ultraviolet rays generated from the discharge gas filled in the discharge space upon discharge, ultraviolet radiation is emitted from the phosphor layer, and then generates secondary electrons in the unit light emitting area, resulting in the priming effect between the adjacent light emitting areas in the column direction.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a twelfth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the first invention, in that a discharge section is formed in opposite parts of the respective back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs for causing discharge in a space in the clearance. The space in the clearance and the inside of the discharge spaces in the adjacent unit light emitting areas in column direction are communicated with each other through the communicating section.
The plasma display panel according to the twelfth invention uses the partition wall having the vertical walls extending in the column direction and the transverse walls extending in the row direction to define the discharge space, formed between the front substrate and the back substrate, into the unit light emitting areas. Further, the transverse wall situated between the unit light emitting areas arranged along the row adjacent to these unit light emitting areas is divided by the clearance extending in parallel to the row direction. The clearance between the divided transverse walls communicates with the inside of the discharge spaces in the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction through the communicating section.
In the mutually opposite portions of the two back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs, for example, a part of one of the back-to-back row electrodes is protruded toward the other row electrode on the opposite side, to form a required discharge gap at a position facing the clearance formed between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall, resulting in formation of the discharge section.
Such plasma display panel is configured such that when a required discharge is performed in each row electrode pair for forming an image, the discharge section provided between the two back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs causes discharge in a space in the clearance situated at a position facing the discharge section.
The discharge (the priming discharge) in the above discharge section causes a pilot flame (priming particles) in the space in the clearance. The priming particles diffuse through the communicating section, making communication between the space in the clearance and the discharge spaces in the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction, into the unit light emitting areas on the both sides.
As described above, according to the twelfth invention, even when the transverse wall of the partition wall shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction from each other, the so-called priming discharge is performed in the clearance between the divided transverse walls defining the above unit light emitting areas, and the priming particles caused by this priming discharge diffuse through the communicating section into the unit light emitting areas adjacent to the clearance in the column direction, to induce a required discharge performed in the unit light emitting area by each row electrode pair for forming the image. For this reason, the so-called priming effect is exerted.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a thirteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the twelfth invention, in that at least one side of opposite sides of the respective back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs protrudes toward the other side to form a discharge gap, having a required size and facing a space in the clearance, between the one side and the other side for formation of the discharge section.
According to the plasma display panel of the thirteenth invention, in the adjacent row electrode pairs, a part of one of the opposite row electrodes protrudes toward the other or the parts of both opposite row electrodes protrude toward each other.
Therefore, the part of the one row electrode and the other row electrode or the parts of both row electrodes are opposite to each other in a position facing the clearance between the divided transverse walls of the partition wall to form the discharge gap having a size required for causing the discharge. This constitutes the discharge section for causing the so-called priming discharge in the space in the clearance.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a fourteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the thirteenth invention, in that the row electrode comprises a transparent electrode causing discharge in the unit light emitting area and a bus electrode connected to the transparent electrode, wherein at least one of the transparent electrodes of the respective back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs is protruded toward the other transparent electrode to form the discharge gap.
According to the plasma display panel of the fourteenth invention, the one transparent electrode making up the one row electrode has a portion which is opposite to the portion where the discharge is caused in the unit light emitting area. The portion protrudes toward the other transparent electrode making up the other row electrode of the adjacent row electrode pairs, to form the discharge gap, having a size required for causing the discharge, between the portion of the one transparent electrode and the other transparent electrode. This constitutes the discharge section for causing the so-called priming discharge in the space in the clearance.
The discharge section is configured by protruding the one transparent electrode toward the other transparent electrode or protruding both transparent electrodes toward each other.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a fifteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the thirteenth invention, in that the row electrode comprises a transparent electrode causing discharge in each unit light emitting area and a bus electrode connected to the transparent electrode, wherein at least one of the bus electrodes of the respective back-to-back row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs is protruded toward the other bus electrode to form the discharge gap.
According to the plasma display panel of the fifteenth invention, a part of the one bus electrode making up the row electrode protrudes toward the other bus electrode making up the opposite row electrode of the adjacent row electrode pairs. The discharge gap having a size required for causing the discharge is formed between the part of the one bus electrode and the other bus electrode. This constitutes the discharge section for causing the so-called priming discharge in the space in the clearance.
The discharge section is configured by protruding the one transparent electrode toward the other transparent electrode or protruding both transparent electrodes toward each other.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a sixteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the thirteenth invention, in that the discharge gap is set to have a size smaller than that of a discharge gap between the row electrodes in each row electrode pair. This facilitates occurrence of the so-called priming discharge in the discharge section constituted between the adjacent row electrode pairs, resulting in securing the priming effect with reliability.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a seventeenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the twelfth invention, in that a first row electrode and a second row electrode constituting the row electrode pair are alternately interchanged in the column direction, the discharge section being formed between the opposite first row electrodes or the opposite second row electrode of the adjacent row electrode pairs.
According to the plasma display panel of the seventeenth invention, when one of the two row electrodes of the first row electrode and the second row electrode making up the row electrode pair, is associated with, for example, the discharge (the selection discharge) for selecting a unit light emitting area to emit light for formation of the image, the respective one row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs associated with the selection discharge are opposite to each other, because the first electrode and the second electrode in each row electrode pair are alternately interchanged in position in the column direction.
By configuring the discharge section between the described-above respective one row electrodes which are opposite to each other and associated with the selection discharge, it is possible to cause the discharge by the discharge section only when the selection discharge is performed.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to an eighteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the twelfth invention, in that priming discharge sections are formed in the part of the row electrodes, oriented back to back and provided with the discharge section, in a non-display area of the plasma display panel for causing discharge in the space in the clearance.
According to the plasma display panel of the eighteenth invention, the priming discharge sections opposing each other with the discharge gap in between are further formed in the portions, extending into the non-display area of the plasma display panel, of the row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs in which the discharge section for the priming discharge is formed, and also formed to face the clearance between the divided transverse wall of the partition wall. Therefore, the priming discharge is also caused in the above priming discharge sections when the required discharge for forming the image is performed in each row electrode pair.
In this way, the discharge section for the priming discharge is further provided in the non-display area of the plasma display panel which is facilitated to secure the discharge space for the priming discharge. Thus, the discharge section facilitating causing the discharge is provided with a different structure from that in the display area. This allows the priming discharge to be caused with reliability, which further enhance the priming effect.
To attain the aforementioned objects, the plasma display panel according to a nineteenth invention features, in addition to the configuration of the twelfth invention, in that an additional portion is formed on each part of the dielectric layer opposing the transverse wall of the partition wall and the clearance to protrude from the dielectric layer toward the transverse wall to shield the adjacent unit light emitting areas in the column direction in cooperation with the transverse wall, and a thickness of the part of the additional portion opposing the discharge section being smaller than that of other parts.
According to the plasma display panel of the nineteenth invention, the additional portion formed for shielding the adjacent unit light emitting areas from each other, is interposed between the discharge section formed between the adjacent row electrodes, and the clearance formed between the divided transverse walls in which the priming discharge is caused by the above discharge section. A recess is formed in the portion of the additional portion facing the discharge section. A thickness of the additional portion where the recess is formed is smaller than that of the remaining portion of the additional portion. This facilitates causing the discharge by the discharge section in the space in the clearance.